Near Death

The explosion that appeared in the air slowly began to disperse as Xun Rong became visible. Her face was grim, and her eyes turned dark. "How dare you." She looked down at Xia Ye and Qing Huanying before screaming. "How dare you leave even a scratch on my body!" In a fit of anger, a violent noise escaped from her Guzheng.

A wave of violent Qi washed over the area. "She's angry. Qing Huanying get everyone hypnotized out of the cave; it's not safe." Qing Huanying nodded as she quickly began to dash towards everyone who was hypnotized. "Trying to save your comrades? How useless. You have no hope as long as you're trapped in this mist with me."

Plucking her Guzheng, Xia Ye watched as the Qi that had washed over them and infected the air began to gather. They gathered in patches like a dark fog and solidified into arrows, from a few to dozens to over a hundred. All of them were aimed directly at Qing Huanying as well, who was moving everyone who was hypnotized out of the cave.

"Crap." Running ahead, Xia Ye jumped into the air as the mist began to enshroud his body. Only a second later, a large Golden Ox fell to the ground. "Oh? It seems Sun Wukong has spoiled you. To transform into both The White Tiger and the Heavenly Ox at such a young age is impressive. I'll enjoy playing with you once you're under my control!"

Her eyes zoned onto Qing Huanying, and Xia Ye as the hundreds of Qi arrows rained down. Xia Ye's Golden Ox form immediately sent Qi into the earth around it. Reacting to that, a large slab of earth rose up from the ground. Being thicker than an adult male and wide enough to block the incoming arrows.

"You think humps of rock can stop my arrows?" Xun Rong laughed as the arrows impacted the slab of earth. Despite having Xia Ye's Qi running through it, the rock could only be so durable. Eachaslike arrow that hit caused a large crack that spread and mixed with other impacts. As more arrows rained down the earth, the slab began to crack more visibly as it shook.

"Now I-" Xun Rong was prepared to say something as the earth slab shattered. However, Xia Ye was nowhere in sight. Instead, Qing Huanying was standing there. She had gotten everyone out of the cave successfully. "Hya!" As soon as the earth slab went down, she slashed the air in front of her with both of her blades.

Two arching waves of white Profound Energy flew towards Xun Rong, who immediately created a barrier of Qi in response. The attack hit the barrier and stopped before dispersing in every direction. "Those attacks are getting annoying. Just die already!" Strumming her Guzheng once more, three large arrows formed around her.

They began to spin, warping the air around them and almost becoming drills. Just as she prepared to launch her attack, Xun Rong was caught off guard. Seeing Qing Huanying had a slight smile on her face, she quickly turned around. In the air was Xia Ye, who was quickly falling down towards her.

"Sneaky little brat!" Moving her hand, she pointed to Xia Ye as the drill-like arrows turned mid-air and looked towards Xia Ye. Seeing that, Qing Huanying looked worried. 'Without that cloud of his he can't fly but he's still not close enough to do anything to her.' There was no way he could dodge all three of those attacks mid-air.

Falling towards her, Xia Ye took a deep breath. [Xia Ye, if you use any more of your Qi, it could be dangerous. You're running on empty, if you-] Xia Ye cut Sun Wukong off as he smirked. 'I know I can already feel it. Trust me I don't plan on getting myself killed to beat some demon fox.' Sun Wukong went silent as Xia Ye activated the 72 Earthly Transformations one more time.

'I did learn three transformations after all.' Qing Huanying and Xun Rong felt a chill go through the air, and something flew from the mist that surrounded Xia Ye. It was fast, remarkably fast as Xun Rong stood there stunned. "He's learned that transformation as well?" Gracefully flying through the air as a bird that radiated a cold aura.

Its wings seemed to be frosted over yet still fluid. However, what seemed even stranger than that was Xun Rong's eyes held a look of fear. Biting her lip, she yelled out. "Damn you Sun Wukong!" The three drill-like arrows around her fired at a speed that dwarfed anything she used before. Xia Ye did not slow down, however.

As one arrow flew towards him, Xia Ye's wings retracted themself as he spun through the air. The arrow flew directly under him. However, it still missed without even touching his body. The other arrows flew towards him; however, just like before, Xia Ye seemed untouchable in the air. Nimbly he avoided each one while still approaching Xun Rong.

Xun Rong immediately wanted to retreat as she prepared to utilize her Guzheng once more. "Not this time." Using all her strength Qing Huanying released a sword-based attack that raced towards Xun Rong. Turning her head, Xun Rong was forced to defend, creating a barrier in front of her to block the attack.

But that brief pause in dealing with Xia Ye gave him the exact opening he needed. He was only a few meters away from Xun Rong, transforming back into his normal state. Xun Rong felt something cold against her chest as she looked up. Xia Ye had Ruyi Jingu Bang pointed directly at her chest. "Gotcha."

Her face was frozen as Xia Ye uttered a word. "Extend." Without any hesitation, Ruyi Jingu Bang began to extend itself. One end slammed into the roof of the cave as the other forced Xun Rong down out of the air. "No!" No amount of Qi she mustered could stop Ruyi Jingu Bang from descending as she plummeted towards the ground.

'I let my guard down. I shouldn't have held back so much against them.' Xun Rong whispered to herself, staring at Xia Ye, who was still in the air above her. "But in the end, I win Sun Wukong." [Dodge!] Xia Ye's eyes widened as Xun Rong waved her hand towards him as she fell. Her Qi was released like a beam of light aimed directly at Xia Ye.

Qing Hunaying, who was on the ground looking up, was in shock as she saw the beam fly towards Xia Ye. 'Oh no...' As Xun Rong hit the ground and Ruyi Jingu Bang pierced through her chest and heart, the attack she had put everything into struck Xia Ye. The beam flew straight through Xia Ye's stomach.

Even with his special body, with no Qi protecting him, the attack was too much. Flying straight through his stomach, the attack slammed into the roof of the cave. An explosion erupted, causing Qing Huanying to be sent flying back as Xia Ye was flung to the ground. 'Your disciple is dead and so are you. I beat you Sun Wukong...'

As her body began to fade, Xun Ron disappeared with a maniacal look on her face. 'This is bad...' As he fell, Xia Ye's mind raced as his eyes turned bloodshot. 'It hurts. This is really bad... Crap...' His eyes went dull as he limply fell through the air. Above him, the cave ceiling began to collapse as tens of thousands of tons of rock began to fall as well.

"Lady Huanying you need to run!"

"Get out of there sis!"

From the entrance to the cave chamber Qing Ning, Mu Jin, and everyone else had seemed to have broken from their hypnosis with Xun Rong gone. Seeing the cave collapsing, they quickly beckoned for Qing Huanying to run. At this point, the rocks had already begun to fill up the cave hitting the ground and causing the entire place to tremble.

Recovering herself, Qing Huanying looked towards them and back in the direction of where Xia Ye's body had fallen. She prepared to dash forward; however, a large shadow appeared around her just as she did. Dodging out of the wave, a massive rock crashed into the ground. "Hurry!" Hearing everyone's cries, Qing Huanying bit her lip. "Dammit!"

Turning around, she quickly ran towards the exit. The entire cave system was collapsing, meaning they had to get outside as quickly as possible. "Sis, where's Xae Ye?" Qing Ning looked at her as she quickly gestured for them to run. Hearing the question, Qing Huanying shook her head.

Qing Ning looked shocked hearing that as he looked back towards the entrance of the cave chamber. It had already been blocked off by tons of rock. There was no way they could go back at this point. As they approached where they had entered the cave, Qing Huanying sensed both Chu Yuechan and Xiao Heng.

From the fluctuations in their Profound Energy, she assumed they had been caught in their own fights as well. Xiao Heng was even more injured than before, and Chu Yuechan seemed to have exhausted much of her Profound Energy. Soon all of them leaped out from the cave back into the large clearing where everyone was waiting.

"There back!"

"Lady Yuechan."

"Lady Huanying!"

"Elder!"

Seeing all of them return, the soldiers and disciples alike seemed to relax. "That place was more dangerous… Then I had expected." Xiao Heng took a knee as he clutched his chest. "I can't believe we allowed ourselves to be hypnotized… Forgive us Lady Huanying." Mu Jin, along with her other advisors, quickly bowed as Qing Huanying shook her head.

"It's ok, it was unexpected but in the end you're all safe." Chu Yuechna looked over at Qing Huanying and spoke questionably. "What happened?" Her question immediately attracted everyone's attention as Qing Huanying sighed. "We encountered an incredibly powerful enemy. We managed to defeat her but… She took Xae Ye with her along with the artifact."

There were different reactions to her words. The Xiao Sect and Burning Heaven Clan were happy for Xia Ye's death and annoyed by the loss of the artifact. It meant they had done all of this for practically nothing. "I see. Then we should leave as quickly as possible." Qing Huanying nodded. "True with the artifact gone the mist should disperse. However, that will take time. For now we should return to Crescent City."

Everyone behind Qing Hunaying nodded as their group followed after Chu Yuechan. The Burning Heaven Clan Disciples did the same with the Xiao Sect leaving last. Before leaving, Xiao Heng stood at the collapsed entrance of the cave and spit. "Good riddance you brat. Though it's a shame I didn't get to kill you myself."

After everyone left, the night began to fall. At the same time, deep underground, Xia Ye's body was trapped. The hole in his chest let the blood drain onto the rocky ground below him. He was bordering death without any doubt, and he couldn't move an inch. It was only until he felt something cool traveling down his throat that his consciousness stirred.

'What is that…' That cool feeling continued for a minute before finally stopping. His consciousness slipped away again as yet another day passed. Once again, Xia Ye felt that same feeling. He could feel it more clearly now as a liquid. It coursed through his body for over a minute, this time before disappearing once again.

This process continued so many times he lost count; however, each time, he could stay conscious a little longer until eventually, he awoke. "Hm…" His eyes slowly opened as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. [So, how was your first near-death experience?] Xia Ye's eyes suddenly shot open as he sat up.

Immediately his head banged against the rocks above him as he grit his teeth. "Ow…" Rubbing his head, he took a quick look around. Rocks surrounded him on all sides. There was only a small pocket under all of the rocks where he was. "What happened?" Looking at his stomach, his clothes had a hole in them, but his body was fine.

[That woman really made sure her attack was fatal. She put enough energy into it to punch a hole through you. Along with that, she even made sure to leave her Qi in your system to stop you from healing.] Hearing all that while checking for wounds on his body Xia Ye was confused. 'If she went so far to kill me then how am I alive? Did you save me?'

[In my current state, I don't have a lot of power. Definitely not enough to heal that kind of wound, with your body being so special. But I do have enough to utilize what's sitting next to you remotely.] Xia Ye turned his head and looked down to the ground next to him. Sitting there was none other than The Purple Gold Red Gourd.

"What!" Xia Ye was surprised, as Sun Wukong explained. [When Xun Rong used all her power to kill you, she disappeared. So the gourd was removed from her possession. I've been using its power to revitalize you slowly.] Xia Ye felt something click as he understood. "So that's what that liquid was." Sun Wukong gave a sound of confirmation.

[However, the gourd's contents have almost been used up. Most of the people I trapped in it were pretty weak. Although there were a lot of them, it took nearly the entire gourd's contents to heal you.] Which also meant that the gourd was practically empty now. Still, Xia Ye did not feel disappointed.

He survived thanks to Sun Wukong. "So just how long have I been recuperating?" He felt how many times he had drunk from the gourd. For him to have used all of it meant he had been healing himself for a pretty long time. [How long? I don't remember precisely, but if I had to guess, I would say quite a few months, if not more.] Xia Ye's face froze, and Sun Wukong's words repeated in his head.

"What!"